Carpenter designated for assignment to make room for Napoli

To make room for the officially signed Mike Napoli on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox announced that right-handed reliever Chris Carpenter was designated for assignment.

Along with 22-year-old power right-hander Aaron Kurcz, the 27-year-old Carpenter was sent to Boston as compensation for general manager Theo Epstein becoming president of the Chicago Cubs last offseason.

A third round pick of the Cubs out of Kent State University in 2008, the 27-year-old Carpenter has a live fast ball that has reached 100. Though has has command issues – he has averaged 4.2 walks per nine innings over his five-year minor league career – Carpenter tends to generate more strikeouts as a reliever, a role to which he was converted in 2011.

Last March – not long after the deal was announced – Carpenter underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his pitching elbow. He rehabbed and returned to the mound, and posted a 1.15 ERA in 16 relief appearances at Triple-A Pawtucket.

His Major League time with the Red Sox was a disappointment as he logged a 9.00 with 10 walks in six innings and eight games.

Though his Major League numbers were not impressive, and he struggles with command, likely Carpenter will be claimed by another team.

Kurcz has a 2.98 ERA and 211 strikeouts over 160 innings in three minor league seasons since he was an 11th round pick out of the College of Southern Nevada in 2010. He is a promising relief prospect who struck out 72 in 50.1 innings lat season at Double-A Portland.